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RecycleMore FAQ

Who are we?

The West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (WCCIWMA) is a regional joint powers agency created by the Member Cities of El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo, and Contra Costa County, California. The agency is also known as "RecycleMore" and is sometimes referred to as "the Authority" or "JPA". Elected officials from each of the member cities serve on the Authority's Board of Directors. Representation on the Board consists of three council members from the City of Richmond, one council member from each of the remaining cities, and a non-officio member from the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors representing the unincorporated areas within the Authority's jurisdiction - for a total of eight seats on the Board of Directors.

The Region consists of the approximately 74 square miles located within the boundaries of the Member Cities.

Why do we exist?

RecycleMore was created because of Assembly Bill 939 (AB939), which was passed in 1989 and mandated a 50% reduction in trash by the year 2000. AB 939 required the creation of a plan to reduce waste and good faith effort to implement the approved plan or to take other actions to achieve the State mandated reduction in waste.

West County met the 50% waste diversion goal in 2006, and RecycleMore continues to work to maintain this level of diversion. In 2008, the California Intergrated Waste Management Board (now part of the Department of Conservations’s Division of Recycling) updated the system for determining diversion goals for each city. At present, per capita landfill disposal limits are determined each year and RecycleMore works with the West County jurisdictions to meet these goals.

Fines of up to $10,000 pre day may be imposed if the State decides that good faith efforts are not being made to implement the approved plan or other actions to achieve the State mandated reduction in landfill disposal of trash.

AB 939 also specified that waste management plans must give first priority to reduction in the amount of waste and recyclable materials produced by residential, commercial and industrial generators, second priority to recycling of materials, third priority to composting of organic materials, and last priority to disposal of remaining trash in environmentally sound landfills.

What do we do?

WCCIWMA is responsible for providing waste processing services of the franchised waste stream in West Contra Costa County (landfillling, recyclables processing, composting and HHW) and implementation of AB939 programs.

3. Preparation and updating of a Regional Education & Public Program identifying measures needed to educate and inform residents and businesses of the actions needed to achieve reduction in waste disposal and to reduce, recycle, and safely dispose of household hazardous waste and the services and programs that are available to achieve these ends.

4. Implementation of actions identified in the Regional Plans and Education Program for implementation by the Authority.

5. Regular reporting to the State, the Authority Member Agencies and the public on the status of implementation of Regional Plans and Programs.

6. Payment of any fines (up to $50,000 per day) levied against Recyclemore for failure of RecycleMore to make a good faith effort to implement Regional Plans & Programs.

7. Determination of the type, extent, and manner of solid waste and recyclables processing needed to comply with AB 939 and arranging for the needed services.

Member Agency Responsibilities regarding AB939

1. Requiring the services identified in the Regional Plans as being provided under the Member's collection franchise agreement to be performed in accordance with the Regional Plans.

3. Payment of any fines which may be levied as a result of a Member or Members failure to implement actions specified in the Regional Plans for implementation by the Member of Members.

4. Coordination of individual solid waste and household hazardous waste education and public information activities with Authority activities and to conduct such activities with the Regional Education and Public Information Program.

Responsibilities regarding the IRRF

1. Regulation of IRRF Rates to be paid by franchised haulers: a.) Approval of Annual Budgets which contain only reasonably necessary and prudent costs b.) Annual Review of prior year costs and activities to ensure that the proper amount has been paid by ratepayers

2. Approval of IRRF related collection rates to be paid by ratepayers: a. Richmond Sanitary Service (RSS) - Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, San Pablo, and County Area b. East Bay Sanitary Company (EBS) - El Cerrito

What's an IRRF?

The Integrated Resource Recovery Facility, or IRRF (opened in 1996), is a recyclables processing facility located just off the Richmond Parkway at 101 Pittsburg Avenue in North Richmond. The IRRF is operated by West County Resource Recovery Inc. a division of Richmond Sanitary Service. You can Tour our IRRF here.

The IRRF is also the location of the West County Permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. To find out more about the hours and what can be taken there visit our HHW page.

What is our area of jurisdiction?

The Region consists of the approximately 74 square miles located within the boundaries of the Member Cities: El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, San Pablo and unincorporated County areas within those cities (i.e. El Sobrante, North Richmond, Tara Hills, Rollingwood, East Richmond Heights).